Low tension strand plying apparatus



A. W. VIBBER Aug. 29, 1967 LOW TENSION STRAND FLYING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 9, 1966 INVENTOR. w/vaflzza United States Patent 3 338,042 LOW TENSION STRAND PLYING APPARATUS Alfred W. Vibber, 560 Riverside Drive, New York, N.Y. 10027 Filed Dec. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 600,617

(Ilaims. (Cl. 5758.36)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention provides a novel flyer for a cord forming spindle of the skip-plying type wherein a first, outer singles strand is rotated in the form of a loop or balloon about a source of a second, inner singles strand. Such flyer is mounted on means supported exteriorly of the loop or balloon at the spindle, and carries a feeding means which engages the first strand in the loop or balloon and feeds it at substantially constant speed toward the point at which the two singles strands are plied together. Said feeding means for the first singles strand isolates loop or balloon tension from the plying point, permitting the plying to be carried out at a desirably low tension.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 531,914, filed Mar. 4, 1966, now abandoned, and of application Ser. No. 584,288, filed Aug. 15, 1966, now abandoned.

This invention relates to an apparatus for twisting and/ or plying strands, and particularly relates to an apparatus for plying strands together by rotating a strand about a source of supply of another strand and plying such strands together beyond such source of the other strand.

This invention relates to an improvement upon the low tension strand plying apparatus disclosed in applicants prior patent application Ser. 'No. 584,288, in which a constant speed outer singles strand feeding capstan is shown mounted within the balloon or rotating loop of such strand, such capstan engaging the outer singles strand immediately in advance of the plying point. This arrangement is somewhat disadvantageous in that the drive for the singles capstan is fairly complicated, and also in those embodiments wherein the capstan is mounted upon an auxiliary flyer driven by the balloon, in that it imposes a further torque, for driving such singles capstan, on the inner package holder of the apparatus. As is well known, such holder is held essentially stationary by impositive means such as cooperating magnets or by eccentrically weighting the package holder and tipping the spindle.

The apparatus in accordance with the present invention retains all of the advantages of the low tension plying apparatus of the parent application and adds thereto a simplified mounting and driving means for the capstan for feeding the outer, ballooned singles strand. The embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrated herein, wherein such singles capstan is driven at a constant speed, employs a flyer mounted on a member disposed exteriorly of the balloon or loop rather than on the inner package holder as in the parent application, thus eliminating any added tendency to rotate the inner package holder by reason of such drive. The present apparatus shields and protects the capstan and other mechanism on the flyer. Additionally, the flyer of the present invention is economical to make and maintain, and may be added to existing plying spindles of the type described, particularly those employing a storage Wheel to control the balloon diameter, with a minimum of expense and effort. When the flyer of the invention is thus added, the resulting spindle will possess all of the advantages of low tension plying which have been set forth in the parent application.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a schematic view in perspective illustrating a plying apparatus in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in vertical axial section through the auxiliary flyer of the plying apparatus of FIG. 1 and showing the constant speed capstan, and the driving means therefor, on the flyer for feeding the outer, ballooned singles strand to the plying point, certain of the parts being shown in elevation; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of a modified auxiliary flyer similar to that of FIG. 2 but incorporating an additional guiding roll for the inner, non-ballooned singles strand approaching the plying point.

Turning now to the drawings, the illustrative embodiment of plying spindle, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is generally designated by the reference character 10. Such spindle is provided with an outer singles strand a from an externally mounted yarn yackage 11, strand a passing through a guiding and tensioning arrangement 12 and passing into the lower end of a hollow main spindle shaft 14, as shown. Such shaft 14 may be driven by an electric motor (not shown) through the medium of a timing belt 15. After rising through the bore in the spindle shaft 14, strand a emerges through a radially directed opening 16 in a storage wheel 17 afiixed to the shaft 14, and is then wound to a varying degree in the operation of the spindle about such strand storage wheel. After leaving the storage wheel 17, the strand a passes into a balloon or rotating loop 19 which is formed coaxial of the spindle 14 and surrounds a stationary housing 20 and the inner package 21 of the strand b contained therein. In the embodiment disclosed, the housing 20, the inner package 21, and the package holder, not specifically shown, are mounted by bearings on the upper end of shaft 14, and such parts are held from rotation by eccentrically weighting the package holder, as is conventional in the art.

Strand b passes upwardly from the package 21 through a tension means 22 mounted on housing 20, means 22 imposing a substantially constant retarding tension on strand b. Strand b then travels vertically upwardly substantially along the axis of the spindle shaft 14 to meet the singles strand a at a plying point P, as shown in FIG. 2. Strand a adjacent the top of its balloon 19 engages a capstan 45, about which the strand a passes in multiple wraps with substantially non-slipping relationship therewith, capstan 45 being an element of the auxiliary flyer generally designated 24. The strand a is forwarded at constant speed by capstan 45 to the plying point, the tension in portion 23 of strand a between such capstan 45 and the plying point P being independent of the tension of the strand a in balloon 19, since the capstan 45 serves to isolate the tension in the balloon 19 from the tension in strand portion 23.

The plied strand or cord c is withdrawn under tension from the plying point P by a take-up capstan 26 which has two spaced parallel capstan rolls 27 around which the cord travels in multiple wraps in substantially nonslipping relationship. In the embodiment shown, capstan 26 is driven at constant speed, such drive being by way of 'bevel gear sets 29, one gear of each such set being fixed to a driving shaft 30. Shaft 30 in turn is shown as being driven by a constant speed, synchronous motor 34 through the medium of a pinion 32 on the motor shaft and a large gear 31 on shaft 30. It will be understood that the capstan 3 26 may be driven in other manners, as by being driven by and synchronously with the spindle 14.

The first embodiment of flyer, designated 24 in FIGS. 1 and 2, is more particularly shown in FIG. 2. As there shown, a tube or hollow spindle 36 is mounted coaxial of the spindle shaft 14 exteriorly of the balloon or loop by means of a fixed supporting member 25 which may be a part of the frame of the apparatus. The lower inner edge of the bore through the member 36 is flared as shown at 37, whereby to serve as a guide for the cord c. The flyer 24 has a hollow cup-shaped body 40 of generally conical shape, such body having a thickened central flange portion 39 at its upper, smaller diametered end. The body 40 may be made, for example, of a light strong metal such as high strength aluminum alloy. Flange 39 has a central axial passage therethrough, the lower end of the hollow spindle 36 extending through such passage in flange 39. The body 40 is journalled on the lower end of spindle 36 by means of anti-friction bearings 41 between it and flange 39. As shown, the lower end of spindle 36 extends somewhat below flange 39 and into the upper end of the space within the flyer body 40.

The body 40 of the flyer 24 is driven by and in synchronism with the balloon 19 by reason of engagement of the rotating strand a in the balloon and a guide 42 mounted on an arm 44 aflixed to and extending inwardly from the body 40 to a position aligned with the path of travel of the strand a to the capstan 45. Strand a passes through such guide 42 on its way to the capstan 45 as shown. In some instances the guide 42 and arm 44 may be omitted, the engagement between the strand a and the capstan 45 then serving to rotate the auxiliary flyer with the balloon about the axis of shaft 14. The capstan 45 is driven at a constant speed about its own axis while travelling as a whole with the flyer 24 as the latter rotates about the axis of the spindle 14 in the following manner:

Adjacent the bottom end of the hollow spindle member 36 and within the upper end of the space within the flyer body 40 there is affixed a bevelled pinion 47 coaxial thereof. A bevelled larger diameter gear 49, which is in constant mesh with the pinion 47, is rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 52 which projects radially inwardly from the body 40 of the flyer 24. Gear 49 is maintained in position by a spacer sleeve 51 telescoped about the shaft 52. Aflixed to gear 49 coaxially thereof is a relatively small pinion 50 which, in turn, is in constant mesh with a larger diametered gear 59. Gear 59, which is fixedly secured to the capstan 45, is mounted through the medium of a bearing 56 upon a stub shaft 55, such shaft likewise projecting radially-inwardly from the body 40. A sleeve 57 is telescoped about the shaft 55 outwardly of gear 59 to maintain the gear 59 and capstan 45 in the required position longitudinally of shaft 55.

The capstan 45 has an effective strand feeding speed which somewhat exceeds the plied strand or cord feeding speed of take-up capstan 26, to compensate for the decrease in the effective length of the two singles strands twisted together to form the cord. The relative diameters of the various gears in the gear train which drives capstan 45, as well as those driving capstan 26, are chosen so as to drive such capstans at the proper, different speeds.

It will be understood that the flyer 24 is so made as to be in dynamic balance. Thus a weight 60 may be provided on the wall of the body 40 at an appropriate location generally opposite the capstan 45 and the driving gear train therefor. The disposition of the gears 49, 50, and 59 and capstan 45 within the space within body 40 shields such members. This is also a safety feature; be cause of the centrifugal force to which such parts are subjected during operation of the apparatus, they are always impelled outwardly toward the wall of the flyer body, and thus have no tendency to become loose or to be thrown off the flyer.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the parts are generally the same as those in the embodiment of FIGS. 1

and 2 with the exception that the inner strand b is caused to approach the plying point, there designated P, along a path which is symmetrical with that of the strand a. For this purpose, on the wall of the body 40 of the flyer 24 opposite the capstan 45 there is mounted a second, idle capstan 62, capstan 62 being connected to the body 40' in the same manner as the capstan 45. The plying apparatus or mechanism in this embodiment is provided with a hollow central guide 64 fixedly mounted on the housing 20 above the tension device 22, neither of which is shown in FIG. 3. Guide 64, which is fragmentarily' shown in FIG. 3, is disposed coaxial of the spindle 14, the strand b emerging from guide 64 and travelling upwardly to a guide 67 on an arm 69 attached to-the body 40. From the guide 67 the strand b travels several times about the periphery of the idle guide roll 62 and, upon leaving the guide roll 62, travels to the plying point P. In this instance, because of the provision of the idle roller 62, its mounting means, the guide 67, and arm 69, the. balancing weight on body 40' of the flyer 24', here designated 66, is somewhat smaller than that of the balancing weight 60 in the first described embodiment.

It will thus be seen that the mechanism of the above described first embodiment of the present invention provides a simple means for driving the outer singles strand engaging'capstan 45 at constant speed. Not only that, but, as noted it protects such capstan and its attendant parts, the structure shown being particularly safe for high speed operation. Because of the substantial space within the bodies 40, 40' of the flyers 24, 24', and the flaring of such bodies in a downwardly direction, the stringing of the capstan 45 (FIG. 2) and of such capstan and the idle guide roll 62 (FIG. 3) with the respective singles strands a and b is readily accomplished.

Although the present invention has been illustrated herein in connection with an auxiliary flyer, it is to be understood that the flyer of the invention may be used to advantage as a driven main flyer in plying apparatus such as that shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 of applicants parent application Ser. No. 584,288 above referred to. Thus there may be substituted for the flyer 19, the driven singles capstan 84, and the drive mechanism for such capstan of FIGS. 1-3 of the parent application, a new flyer, singles capstan, and drive mechanism therefor made in accordance with'the present invention.

In such new flyer, the body of the flyer may be in the form of a generally flat bottomed upwardly concave cup with an annular upstanding outer side wall. The singles feeding capstan is disposed within the cavity in the flyer eccentrically of the flyer and of the main hollow driven spindle shaft to which the flyer is secured coaxially thereof. The grooved singles capstan roll is mounted on a shaft which is tipped with respect to the axis of the main hollow shaft of the spindle, the main plane of such capstan roll extending chordally of the flyer and upwardly and radially outwardly of the main hollow shaft of the spindle so that the groove in the capstan roll is generallyaligned with the incoming singles strand leaving the lower end of the balloon.

The speed reducing driving mechanism for the capstan roll may be generally similar to that employed for the flyer 24 of FIGS. 1 and 2 herein, being made up primarily of a train of meshing gears which are disposed wholly or largely within the cavity in the flyer. If the gear train is disposed wholly within the cavity in the flyer, the initial small centrally located fixed gear, corresponding to gear 47 herein, may be secured to the fixed upper housing corresponding to part 17 in FIG. 1 of the parent application. If the initial drive for the singles capstan is derived from a central fixed gear located externally of the loop or balloon, such fixed gear may be fixedly secured to the upper circular cylindrical part of the fixed housing 16 immediately below the flyer 19 of FIG. 1 of the said parent application. There is then employed a rotatable stub shaft mounted on the flyer eccentrically of the axis thereof, such shaft having a pinion aflixed thereto below the flyer and meshing with the fixed gear on the housing, and a further gear aflixed to the stub shaft above the bottom wall of the flyer. The remainder of the gear train is located within the cavity in the flyer as in the illustrative flyer shown herein, such remainder of the train drivingly connecting the said further gear to the singles capstan.

As in the illustrative embodiment shown herein, the strand may leave the balloon through a guide eyelet affixed to the flyer, proceeding from the guide eyelet directly to the singles capstan roll, or the guide eyelet may be omitted, the strand then travelling directly from the balloon inwardly to the periphery of the singles feeding capstan. With such latter construction, if the flyer has a sufiicient depth of sidewall completely to enclose the capstan in a vertical direction, there may be provided an opening through the sidewall of the flyer sufiiciently large to allow the strand to pass therethrough to the singles capstan roll without contact with the capstan body. Alternatively, the cavity in the flyer may be made of a height such that the upper edge of the sidewall of the flyer lies below the upper, outer edge of the strandreceiving periphery of the singles capstan roll, the incoming strand then passing inwardly above the upper edge of the flyer sidewall without touching it. In such case, the parts may be so constructed and arranged that the upper, outer edge of the strand receiving periphery of the singles capstan roll lies close to or even somewhat radially outwardly of the vertical projection of the flyer sidewall.

The above described unillustrated arrangements permit the easy stringing up of the plying spindle, since adequate space will be provided above the flyer and between singles capstan roll on the flyer and the fixed structure of the spindle above the capstan. For this purpose, the magnets corresponding to magnets and 21 of FIG. 1 of the parent application may be dispensed with, the fixed structure carrying the inner strand package being eccentrically weighted and the single tipped. Alternatively, the magnets 20 and 21 of the parent application may be suitably relocated.

Such unillustrated arrangements are also of advantage in their protection by the flyer of the singles capstan and its driving mechanism and, when the incoming strand proceeds directly to the singles capstan Without passing through a fixed guide on the flyer, eliminates any possibility of undue localized stressing of the strand and any appreciable tendency to break the filaments thereof. Instead, the incoming strand is progressively frictionally engaged by the capstan in such manner as to pull it forward with a minimum of shock or damage to the strand. Thus as we have seen, the surface of the capstan roll travels at all times at virtually the same speed as the strand (except for the small amount of creep of the strand on the roll, above discussed). The location of the singles capstan spaced outwardly of the plying point affords sufiicient time for the outer, ballooned strand to relax from the high tension to which it is subjected in the balloon to the low tension at which it is plied with the inner strand. Thus the two strands approach the plying point at low tension and in substantially the same condition.

The balloon of the last described, down-plying apparatus, wherein the outer, ballooned strand travels into a balloon apex guide and thence to a driven flyer, may be controlled in a number of manners, including those described in the above-referred-to parent application in connection with the apparatus of FIGS. 1-3, inclusive, of such application. Further, such balloon may be controlled by employing a tensioning means engaging the outer strand and imposing a constant tension thereon in advance of its entry into the balloon, and in conjunction therewith an automatically adjustable balloon apex guide such as that shown in either of applicants Patents Nos. 3,192,698 and 3,274,763, or Clarkson Patent No. 2,689,449. All of such balloon control devices decrease the height of the balloon when its diameter increases, and increase the height of the balloon when its diameter decreases.

As described above, in the apparatus of the present invention the tension of the strand in the balloon does not affect the tension of such strand immediately adjacent and at the plying point. Thus the balloon of the last described, down-plying apparatus may be alternatively controlled by a constant tension device engaging the outer strand in advance of its entry into the balloon apex guide, and by balloon control rings disposed about and engaging the balloon.

Although a limited number of embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it is to be especially understood that various changes, such as in the relative dimensions of the parts, 'materials used, and the like, as well as the suggested manner of use of the appaartus of the invention, may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Thus, if desired, instead of a capstan having a single driven capstan roll on the auxiliary flyer feeding the singles strand a to the plying point, such capstan may have two or more such capstan rolls driven in synchronism and engaging the strand a in sequence. One such alternative construction of the auxiliary flyer has two identical capstan rolls disposed similarly to roll 45 in FIG. 2 but spaced 180 apart on the capstan body. Each of such driven capstan rolls 45 is driven by its own gear train from the first, central pinion on the fixed hollow shaft or spindie on which the auxiliary flyer is rotatably mounted, in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIG. 2. The strand a upon leaving the balloon proper is wrapped a plurality of times around a first capstan roll 45, and then leaves such roll to travel to an idle guide roll mounted on the inner wall of the flyer body generally midway between the two capstan rolls, the strand a then passing to the second of such rolls. After passing several times about the second capstan roll, the strand a leaves the roll to travel to the plying point, where it meets and is plied with an inner strand b travelling in the same manner as in FIG. 2. It will be evident that the strand a in travelling over the two angularly spaced driven capstan rolls and the interposed guide roller, such strand is spaced radially outwardly of the generally axial run of strand b approaching the plying point. It will also be apparent that the auxiliary flyer is of substantially symmetrical construction, and requires little added weight to be put in dynamic balance.

Should it be desired to present the strand b to the plying point as in FIG. 3 while employing a plurality of driven capstan rolls engaging the strand a in sequence, the two driven capstan rolls which feed the strand 0 may be spaced apart on the auxiliary flyer, the idle but similar capstan roll which guides the strand b to the plying point being disposed midwaybetween the two driven capstan rolls 45. The thus constructed auxiliary capstan is substantially symmetrical, and requires little balancing. As in FIG. 3, the strands a and 12 approach the plying point in opposite directions in substantially the same diametrical plane.

What is claimed is:

1. In mechanism for twisting together two strands so as to form a two-ply strand, said mechanism comprising a source of supply of a first strand and a support carrying a let-off strand package for a second strand, a rotatable shaft operable to rotate a loop of the first strand about the let-ofl package and also to ply the two strands together at a plying point, a first means for feeding the first strand into the outer end of the loop, a second means engaging the first strand as it rotates in the loop for feeding the first strand at substantially constant speed toward the plying point, means engaging the second strand in advance of the plying point for subjecting the second strand in the run thereof immediately in advance of and extending to the plying point to tension, and means for feeding the plied strand away from the plying point under tension, the improvement which comprises a flyer coaxial with and axially spaced from said shaft, means exteriorly of the loop for mounting the flyer for rotation about its axis with the loop of the first strand, said second feeding means being mounted upon the flyer, and means for driving the second feeding means at constant speed.

2. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for driving the second feeding means includes a driving means extending between and connected to the means for mounting the flyer and the second feeding means, said driving means being driven at least in part by energy of rotation of the loop transmitted to the flyer.

3. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driving means is driven wholly by energy of rotation of the loop transmitted to the flyer.

4. Mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support for the flyer includes a fixed member, and the driving means for the second feeding means includes a speed reducing gear train extending from the fixed member to the second feeding means.

5. Mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flyer has a body in the shape of a hood disposed coaxially of the shaft said hood having a space therewithin which is open toward the shaft, said space receiving the end of the loop remote from the shaft therewithin, said second feeding means including a capstan roll mounted on the flyer in the space therewithin.

6. Mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fixed member extends into the space within the body of the flyer, and the speed reducing gear train is disposed in the space within the body of the flyer.

7. Mechanism as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fixed member is in the form of a hollow spindle disposed coaxially of the shaft, said spindle having a passage therethrough for receiving the plied strand as it travels away from the plying point, and comprising a pinion on the portion of the spindle which extends into the space within the body of the flyer, said pinion forming a part of said driving train.

8. Mechanism as claimed in claim 5, comprising an idle roll for guiding the second strand to the plying point, said idle roll being mounted on the body of the flyer in the space therewithin and engaging the second strand between the plying point and the means subjecting such second strand to substantially constant tension.

9. Mechanism is claimed in claim 8, wherein the idle roll is at least generally similar to the capstan roll, and is disposed at least generally symmetrically with respect to and diametrically opposite the capstan roll on the body of the flyer.

10. Mechanism as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body of the flyer has an at least generally conical annular portion, the wall of which converges in the direction away from the shaft, and the capstan roll and idle roll are mounted in canted positions on said conical annular portion of the body of the flyer so as to converge toward the plying point in the same direction as the wall of said annular portion of the flyer.

11. In mechanism for twisting together two strands so as to form a two-ply strand, said mechanism comprising a source of supply on a first strand and a support carry ing a let-off strand package for a second strand, a rotatable fiyer operable to rotate with a loop of the first strand as it rotates about the let-off package, a first means for feeding the first strand into the outer end of the loop,-a second means, mounted on the flyer, engaging the first strand as it rotates in the loop for feeding the first strand at substantially constant speed toward the plying point, means engaging the second strand in advance of the plying point for feeding the second strand under tension to the plying point, and means for feeding the plied strand away from the plying point underrtension, the improved flyer which comprises a cup-shaped flyer body having a large open-ended cavity therein, means mounting the flyer for rotation about its axis with the loop of the first strand, said second feeding means comprising a capstan roll mounted on the flyer eccentrically with respect thereto and within the cavity theerin for stringing the first strand thereabout through the open end of the cavity, and means for driving the capstan roll at constant speed about its axis.

12. Mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the said capstan roll is peripherally grooved and is disposed on the flyer so that the infeeding side of said groove is substantially aligned with the run of the first strand fed from the exit end of the loop.

13. Mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for driving the capstan roll comprises a speed reducing gear train including a first gear disposed coaxially of the flyer and fixed relative thereto, and further gear means mounted on the flyer eccentrically thereof and drivingly connecting the capstan roll to the firstgear.

14. Mechanism as claimed in claim 13, wherein said first gear is disposed externally of the loop of the first strand, and at least a substantial part of the gear train is disposed within the cavity in the flyer.

15. Mechanism as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gear train is wholly disposed within the cavity in the flyer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,729,051 1/ 1956 Clarkson 5758.3 3,066,472 12/1962 Klein 5758.3 3,153,893 10/1964 Vibber 5758.36 X 3,286,450 11/1966 Vibber 5758.36 X 3,290,873 12/1966 Vibber 5758.3

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner,

D. E. WATKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN MECHANISM FOR TWISTING TOGETHER TWO STRANDS SO AS TO FORM A TWO-PLY STRAND, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING A SOURCE OF SUPPLY OF A FIRST STRAND AND A SUPPORT CARRYING A LET-OFF STRAND PACKAGE FOR A SECOND STRAND, A ROTATABLE SHAFT OPERABLE TO ROTATE A LOOP OF THE FIRST STRAND ABOUT THE LET-OFF PACKAGE AND ALSO TO PLY THE TWO STRANDS TOGETHER AT A PLYING POINT, A FIRST MEANS FOR FEEDING THE FIRST STRAND INTO THE OUTER END OF THE LOOP, A SECOND MEANS ENGAGING THE FIRST STRAND AS IT ROTATES IN THE LOOP FOR FEEDING THE FIRST STRAND AT SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT SPEED TOWARD THE PLYING POINT, MEANS ENGAGING THE SECOND STRAND IN ADVANCE OF THE PLYING POINT FOR SUBJECTING THE SECOND STRAND IN THE RUN THEREOF IMMEDIATELY IN ADVANCE OF AND EXTENDING TO THE PLYING POINT TO TENSION, AND MEANS FOR FEEDING THE PLIED STRAND AWAY FROM THE PLYING POINT UNDER TENSION, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A FLYER COAXIAL WITH THE AXIALLY SPACED FROM SAID SHAFT, MEAND EXTERIORLY OF THE LOOP FOR MOUNTING THE FLYER FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS AXIS WITH THE LOOP OF THE FIRST STRAND, SAID SECOND FEEDING MEANS BEING MOUNTED UPON THE FLYER, AND MEANS FOR DRIVING THE SECOND FEEDING MEANS AT CONSTANT SPEED. 